RAM mount for phone/tablet in a DR400

The DR 400 is a particularly difficult aircraft to put tablet into. In my view a suction cup on the Perspex canopy is a non starter.

The most sensible suggestion is a ball mount attached to a blanking plate on an unused instrument hole.

The DR40 that I used fly had an open glove box on each side with lip on the opening. If this is what you have, it would not be too difficult to make something that fitted in this opening that can be fitted and removed without tools. You might even find that Ram do something.

Seba wrote:

Has anyone tried one of these wedges? https://www.rammount.com/shop-all/ram-tough-wedge/universal-mounts
Once inflated it is for sure stable but I wonder if even the longest arm is long enough once I put this on the left side (center console needs to be accessible).

Very clever idea, and in a car, I don’t see much of a problem, but in a very light aircraft? I’d recommend a lot of care to see where the forces are going.

WilliamF wrote:

I’d find it hard to believe there is not enough space on the panel to put ram ball mount on somewhere permanently.

That’s certainly true, but I’m guessing that the reason it’s not possible to add a standard ball mount to the panel is probably either financial, regulatory, or club “politics”.

I’d find it hard to believe there is not enough space on the panel to put ram ball mount on somewhere permanently. The B-Ball size, or even one like this would take up very little room.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ram-Mounts-379-U-M81208-M8-1-25-threaded/dp/B00D8WIWIE

I use them all the time on anything I am keeping. I have no faith in suction cups. I found there was very little space in the DR400 for clamping on a mount, so a ball mounted to the panel would be the best option I think.

When I was looking for a solution to this, I wasn’t happy with any of the commercial offerings. So I eventually come up with something myself.

I wanted a decent size tablet / iPad. For me a phone is fine for following a plan, but it’s too small to help replan inflight (common for use VFR pilots flying any distance).
An iPad Mini seems to be most people’s favourite size, presumably because it easier to replan than on a phone, but not so big that it blocks too much of the panel.

But personally I wanted a full size tablet. More screen space makes things easier (especially those times when you want to be able to see the plan or airport info without having to take the map off the screen. With full size tablet/iPad, I think the only real option is to have it on your lap/knee. But having a lose object there is not so good, and you don’t want to have to be minding it all the time. The the commercial options at the time were specifically for an iPad and if the size changed with the next generation, you’d need a new one and none suited me perfectly and all were quite expensive for what they were.

So this is what I did.

Someone that I’d previously done a favour for, and who has some metal working skills, cut me a small piece of aluminium , with two holes in it.
I got some wide elastic cord and passed it through. I got some Velcro tape with a sticky back on it and attached to each end of the cord.
This meant that I could wrap the elastic around my leg and thereby attach the “aluminium board” to my leg.
On the board I added two strips of Velcro

Then I got one of those cheap plastic covers for my tablet, and I added the other side of the two Velcro strip to the back of it.

When I want to use it, I attach the board to my leg with the Velcro straps, I put the tablet into the cover and attach it to the board with the Velcro.

It works really well, and the other leg is still free for my paper knee board.

When I changed my iPad3 for a Samsung Galaxy Tab S6, all I had to do was buy a back cover for the Tab 6 and add two strips of Velcro and all was converted.

This setup also means that if you change your preference between portrait or landscape, it’s no problem, just turn the table to the orientation that you want before sticking the Velcro together.

Total cost was less than €10 (plus a favour already done for a friend!). The elastic/Velcro can be bought on ebay. The only hard part to source is someone able and willing to put a piece of metal!